The No 1 overall pick will be …
Bryce Young, QB, Alabama. I’m guessing you’ve heard that Young is short. And he’s slender too: he looks more like a yoga instructor than an NFL quarterback. But Young is a pocket wizard. There have been comparisons to Patrick Mahomes’ bobbing and weaving style in the pocket, but even those fall short: Young is a more sudden manipulator than the bulkier Mahomes. He creates space when it appears there isn’t any. That’s his superpower, and why he’s separated himself from the other QBs at the top of the class. OC
Young. No need to be clever here. The Chicago Bears, having won the Justin Fields sweepstake, decided they had no need to pick first in a quarterback-heavy draft so they fleeced the Carolina Panthers, who desperately need a QB, in a March trade. By all accounts, Carolina have their eye on Young. HF
Young. If Young were 6ft 2in, he’d be perfect. But he’s still about to be a Carolina Panther thanks to his talent and high football IQ, an especially important trait for his soon-to-be head coach Frank Reich. And Reich recently debunked the notion that he’s a quarterback heightist. MJ
This is a good draft for …
Cornerbacks. John Harbaugh said he expects 10 corners to go in the first two rounds. But the Baltimore Ravens coach was probably underselling things. The corner class is loaded. The standouts are Devon Witherspoon (Illinois) and Christian Gonzalez (Oregon), who should both go in the Top 10. It’s a passing league – and defenses need corners who can keep up with all the fun and games modern offenses are throwing at them. OC
After last year’s quarterback-deficient draft, we will be treated to another Year of the Quarterback. The Athletic’s mock draft has Young, CJ Stroud and Anthony Richardson all being selected in the span of the first four picks. Should a team trade up, it could be back-to-back-to-back-to-back signal-callers. HF
There have been a boatload of star corners drafted in recent years, but this class is the deepest and most diverse we’ve seen in some time. There’s Gonzalez, the tall, fluid stud. Joey Porter Jr, the elite technician. Deonte Banks, the speed demon with elite awareness. All told, there could be six or seven corners taken in the first round, with the prospect of starter-level talent still available on day three. MJ
The best quarterback is …
Bryce Young. Richardson is the most exciting of the QB prospects, but Young remains the most polished. The NFL is lightning-quick. You must be able to operate at warp speed – physically and mentally. Young’s game is built on twitch. His decision-to-delivery time is comfortably the quickest of any of the draft’s top quarterbacks. His arm isn’t the strongest. He isn’t the quickest on the ground. But he’s the most agile and he makes the sharpest decisions. OC
CJ Stroud, Ohio State. Young is 5ft 10in and critics worry that his frame won’t be able to withstand a battering from NFL-sized players. The less flashy but more pro-ready Stroud seems poised to have a longer career. HF
I agree with the Panthers – Young is the best quarterback in this class. He’s tiny compared to Stroud and Will Levis, but he’s an athletic playmaker with exemplary decision-making. Young also brings leadership and character, and he’s spent the last two seasons slaying college football’s toughest defenses. MJ
A lower-round gem to watch …
Jartavius ‘Quan’ Martin, S, Illinois. Fun fact: Martin may not be the most impactful safety on his own team. That would be Sydney Brown, the other Illinois starter. It’s a ropey safety class overall. Only one – Brian Branch of Alabama – is expected to go in the first round, chiefly because he can also line-up in the slot. There are bigger prospects than Martin, but there aren’t many who are more instinctive, vicious and quicker. OC
Stetson Bennett, QB, Georgia. Bennett took his team to a 15-0 record, and the former walk-on finished fourth in the Heisman voting. He’s also 25, undersized and was recently arrested for public intoxication. Will a team take a chance on Bennett in the later rounds, or will he end up undrafted? Stay tuned. HF
Tucker Kraft, TE, South Dakota State. Kraft looks to follow in the footsteps of fellow Jackrabbits alum Dallas Goedert. He’s a mountain of an athlete with good hands, and blocks well in space. Plus, he shares initials with tight end royalty. MJ
Team most in need of a good draft …
Houston Texans. The Texans cannot spend the next couple of years in a perennial rebuild. They’ve settled on a long-term head coach and structure (they hope). They spent last season plowing resources into their secondary and building up their offensive line. Now it’s time to find a quarterback and address their front seven on defense. OC
The Houston Texans need to rebuild, having gone 3-13 last year, so it’s good they have 12 picks in this draft. On one hand, that gives them quite a bit of cushion – they don’t have to hit on every pick – but they need to really nail some too. HF
The Detroit Lions took a major step forward last season, just missing out on the playoffs. Hitting on their two first-round picks (Nos 6 and 18), plus two second-round picks this year could catapult them toward being a perennial playoff team. It also helps that Aaron Rodgers is out of the division. MJ
Team most likely to trade up …
Las Vegas Raiders. Maybe this is “should” rather than “will”. The Raiders moved on from Derek Carr without a long-term plan at quarterback. Adding Jimmy Garoppolo is a sensible stopgap, but finding what’s next needs to start immediately. In an AFC loaded with quarterback talent, the Raiders need someone who can eventually keep up with the Mahomes and Co. Unless they believe Stroud will fall into their lap, they should make a move up the board. OC
The Tennessee Titans have the 11th pick, but they may be desperate to grab a quarterback before the most highly touted prospects are taken off the board. They have already met with Richardson and Levis, QBs unlikely to be around at No 11. HF
Minnesota Vikings. There’s a lot of rumbling about the Vikings targeting a quarterback, and in particular Richardson. There’s really no ceiling on this guy and learning under Kirk Cousins for a year could pay dividends. It’s a massive jump from No 23, and it’s possible Richardson could fall that far. But when you’re talking about a potential franchise quarterback, the Vikings may take a chance. MJ
The team that drafted best last year was …
The New York Jets clearly had the best class in 2022. But for the sake of variety, let’s give some credit to the Seattle Seahawks. They landed two starting tackles in last year’s class, Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas, an almost unheard of haul at that spot. Tackles are supposed to take time to develop; Cross and Lucas were excellent from the get-go. Then they snagged Tariq Woolen in the fifth round, an explosive corner with superstar upside. Oh, and they also added Kenneth Walker III to the mix, a dynamic playmaker when he is healthy. OC
The Jets, improbably. Sauce Gardner, who they selected at No 4, was the Defensive Rookie of the Year. Garrett Wilson, selected at No 10, had 83 catches and picked up 1,103 yards. This season, he will have Rodgers throwing to him rather than Zach Wilson, so expect improvement. HF
The Jets. Their draft capital came with a lot of pressure, and the Jets (mostly) knocked it out of the park. Gardner and Wilson took home Rookie of the Year honors, and second-round pick Breece Hall was excellent before tearing his ACL. Jermaine Johnson II and Michael Clemons showed promise in limited roles on defense. Between the young talent and Robert Saleh, the Jets really were an ideal landing spot for Rodgers. MJ
The Top 10 will be …
1) Carolina Panthers, Bryce Young, QB, Alabama.
2) Indianapolis Colts (from Texans), Will Levis, QB, Kentucky.
3) Seattle Seahawks (from Cardinals), Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida.
4) Houston Texans (from Colts), Tyree Wilson, edge, Texas Tech.
5) Arizona Cardinals (from Seahawks), Will Anderson, edge, Alabama.
6) Detroit Lions, Jalen Carter, DL, Georgia.
7) Las Vegas Raiders, CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State.
8) Atlanta Falcons, Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois.
9) Chicago Bears, Paris Johnson Jr, OT, Ohio State.
10) Philadelphia Eagles, Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon. OC
—-
1) Carolina Panthers, Bryce Young, QB, Alabama.
2) Houston Texans, CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State.
3) Arizona Cardinals, Will Anderson, edge, Alabama.
4) Indianapolis Colts, Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida.
5) Seattle Seahawks, Jalen Carter, DL, Georgia.
6) Detroit Lions, Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois.
7) Tennessee Titans (from Raiders), Will Levis, QB, Kentucky.
8) Atlanta Falcons, Tyree Wilson, edge, Texas Tech.
9) Chicago Bears, Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon.
10) Philadelphia Eagles, Nolan Smith, edge, Georgia. HF
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1) Carolina Panthers, Bryce Young, QB, Alabama.
2) Houston Texans, Will Anderson, edge, Alabama.
3) Arizona Cardinals, Tyree Wilson, edge, Texas Tech.
4) Indianapolis Colts, CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State.
5) Seattle Seahawks, Jalen Carter, DL, Georgia.
6) Detroit Lions, Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois.
7) Las Vegas Raiders, Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon.
8) Atlanta Falcons, Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas.
9) Chicago Bears: Paris Johnson Jr, OT, Ohio State.
10) Minnesota Vikings (from Eagles), Anthony Richardson, Florida. MJ
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